Bonnie Bertram
Producer Bonnie Bertram is Vice President of Content Development at Retro Report. She directed “Facing Eviction” for PBS Frontline and was Co-Executive Producer of the primetime series “Retro Report on PBS.” Her short film for The New York Times on vaccine hesitancy was nominated for a News and Documentary Emmy Award.
Presentations from Facing Race 2026
FREE JOAN LITTLE tells the story of the 1975 groundbreaking case of Joan Little who was the first woman in U.S history to be acquitted for using deadly force to resist sexual assault. At 20 years old, Joan (pronounced Jo-Ann) Little was incarcerated in North Carolina when she killed a white jailer who she said tried to rape her. Her trial drew international attention, becoming a rallying point for civil rights, women’s rights and prison reform. The case brought together activists, including Angela Davis and Rosa Parks, and catalyzed an international conversation about sexual assault and racial justice that has reverberations to this day. With rare archival footage, contemporary interviews, and the folk anthem that carried her cause, FREE JOAN LITTLE captures the spirit of resistance that made history. The film features Oscar-nominated actress Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple) as the voice of Joan and is produced by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Christalyn Hampton (The Devil is Busy) and Bonnie Bertram, in association with Retro Report.
Directed by Yoruba Richen, produced by and produced and Bonnie Bertram, Edited by Hannah Vanderlan, Music Composed by Reggie Dokes, Graphics by Peter Mishara, Executive Producer for Retro Report Kyra Darnton
Featuring Karen Bethea-Shields, Angela Davis, Christina Greene, Larry Little, with Danielle Brooks